Dark Paradise
by justanotherflowercrown
Summary: When Penelope Longshot won the 69th Hunger Games, she thought that'd she be free of the Capitol and the sufferings the Games caused. Now, Penelope tries to sink back into a normal life, only to be taken back into her own personal hell: the 75th Hunger Games. Worst part? She's not alone when she goes back into the Games. FINNICK X OC.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1:**

**_"All my friends tell me I should move on, I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song, Ahhh, that's how you sang it. Loving you forever, can't be wrong. Even though you're not here, won't move on. Ahhh, that's how we played it... And there's no remedy, For memory, Your face is like a melody, It won't leave my head, Your soul is haunting me, And telling me That everything is fine. But I wish I was dead (dead like you)... Every time I close my eyes, It's like a dark paradise, No one compares to you, I'm scared that you, Won't be waiting on the other side... All my friends ask me why I stay strong, Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on, Ahhh, that's why I stay here... No one compares to you, But there's no you, Except in my dreams tonight... There's no relief, I see you in my sleep. And everybody's rushing me, But I can feel you touching me, There's no release, I feel you in my dreams, Telling me I'm fine..." _- Lana Del Rey.**

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman, the winner of the 69th Hunger Games is Penelope Longshot!"

The voice rung throughout the now nearly empty arena. The only things that still lay in this terrible dome is a few bodies of the newly deceased teenagers and me. Penelope Longshot, the eighteen year old girl who volunteered so the young twelve-year-old girl who wasn't much more than skin and bones wouldn't have to die.

I, Penelope Longshot, am the newest victor of the annual Hunger Games and the third victor from District 4.

I feel the wind from a hovercraft on my face and I know that someone has come to either retrieve me or the bodies of Disctrict 3's male tribute, Isaak, or District 1's female tribute, Shimmer. I tilt my head to the side so the sticks that are flying around and the sand from the dry arena do not go into my eyes or mouth. I still cannot move, the toxin that Shimmer found and laced her knife with paralyze me from the neck down. I regret my action of moving my head as soon as I see the shocked, angry face of Isaak beside me. My last enemy, the one who was determined to kill me as soon as he got the chance. His face, still stuck in its shocked expression, stares at me with unseeing eyes, but I feel the guilt start to bubble up inside of me.

_I_ did this, I _killed_ him, I get to live for killing someone.

A set of arms carefully pick me up and I start to scream. I do not know these people, I see them as a threat. My screaming stops as I feel a pinch in my forearm as they inject me with something. I feel the world turn fuzzy, and black dots cloud my vision as the last strength I have left after six days in the arena fades away. I feel consciousness leaving me, and the tributes that were left intrude my dreams.

Twenty three tributes... _Dead._ Surviving... _One._ How many did I kill? _Thirteen._

* * *

I wake to someone brushing my hair away from my face and a hand that grips mine so hard I'm surprised the pressure wasn't what woke me up. I do not open my light blue eyes, I fear what I will see. I fear I will see the angry, unseeing brown eyes that belong to Isaak beside me. I fear I'll see Shimmer on my right side, her eyes bloodshot and unseeing, with a knife plunged into her forehead and another in her chest.

"C'mon, honey, wake up... You can wake up now," it's Mags', my mentor's, soft and barely audible - due to her growing age - voice.

Feeling safer, my eyes flutter open and I see the kind, elder woman smiling sadly down at me. Her eyes slightly widen as she sees that I've woken, and she reaches over and pats the person who has their hand on mine with a vise like grip. I follow the elder victor's arm and see that she is patting Finnick Odair's shoulder. My other mentor, barely eighteen, wakes from his own sleep and I see it was not a peaceful sleep, but one filled with the nightmares from his Games four years ago. His hand crushes mine with so much force I clench my eyes shut, but then the pain caused by the weight of Finnick's hand disappears and is replaced with a smaller hand: Mags'.

"Hey, sweetheart, how're you feeling?" Finnick asks me as he kneels beside me and brushes a strand of my deep brown hair away from my eyes.

"Like I just spent six days in a death trap," I say weakly, trying to sound humorous but I fail terribly, that is no joking matter.

I spent three days with my District partner, Trae, until I watched him receive a sword to the back for me. When I'd asked him why, why he would sacrifice himself for me, why he wouldn't just let me die, he simply responded with his dying breath: _'They don't need me, nobody really does. But they need you... **He** needs you'_.

That happened on the third day of the Games, and I spent the next three avenging my friend that had sacrificed himself for me, and I _did_ avenge him. I hunted down the career pack which held both tributes from Districts 1, 2, 3, and the male tribute from 5. When it was just down to me, Isaak, and Shimmer, it was more of a challenge to finish the damn Games. They were both much more skilled than I, and they were still in an alliance. I won the 69th Hunger Games out of luck and a bit of hope to get back to District 4 where my family and someone else were.

"Penelope?" it's Finnick again and I snap out of my thoughts and look at him, but something blocks my vision... _Tears_.

"I-I'm fine," I mutter as I quickly wipe away the tears from my eyes and cheeks.

"Are you?" Finnick asks and I avert my eyes, not letting myself look him in the eyes. I know if I look at him I'll just burst into tears again, I'm not okay. I'm not. I killed thirteen people, thirteen children, in a span of six days. I'm a monster.

"Trae," is all I say, I want to know if either Mags or Finnick have spoken to his parents or if they received his body.

"They're sending him back home, honey," Mags says in her quiet voice and I nod, "Where are we?"

"Capitol," Finnick explains, "Doctor's patched you up, fixed your wrist, and filled your chipped tooth. We're in your room of the Capitol's version of the Victor's Village, but it's not really a village... More of an apartment complex like at the training center."

I nod, taking in his words, I run my tongue over my front tooth and find that it doesn't have the chip in it from the rock District 2's female tribute, Cara, threw at me. My wrist no longer holds the searing pain it did hours, or maybe it was days, ago from Isaak's attempt at getting a knife to my throat.

"So what next?" I whisper, fearing the answer I'm going to receive.

"An interview with Ceaser, again, and then the Victory Tour," Mags tells me and I frown, "Do I have to?"

"Yes, it's what President Snow's ordered," Finnick says, almost bitterly, "We tried to get him to allow an exception, just take you home, but he wouldn't agree."

"Thanks for trying, Finnick," I say with a small smile and he returns it with one of his own, "It'll be over soon enough, don't worry all you've got to do is put on a smile and be thankful to everyone."

"Sounds easier said than done. What, am I supposed to be _thankful_ that the Capitol sent me to my death? Or thank the Districts for sending in kids for me to kill?" I ask bitterly, anger bubbling up inside of me.

"No, but when Ceaser interviews you, thank the sponsors that sent you the bread and water, the ointment to fight off the mutts' venom, thank the Districts for their support when you saved the girl from 9 so she wouldn't become the mutt's dinner," Mags tells me and I sigh.

"Thanks for clarifying that."

"That's what mentors do for their victors," Mags says with a small smile.

* * *

**(2 weeks later)**

I sit in front of President Snow with Mags on my left and Finnick on my right. The President sent for us to come meet him at his mansion, well... He asked that _I_ come to his mansion and I told him I would as long as Mags and Finnick could come with me.

The President accepted that and so here we were, sitting in front of the most powerful man in the Capitol.

"Ms. Longshot, your interviews and your Victory Tour have concluded, and you'll be leaving for District 4 tonight," President Snow starts, "Now, I would like for you to become a mentor, along with Finnick and Mags, here."

"Sure," I tell him with a frown, _that's_ why he ordered me here?

"I'd also like to give you an offer."

Ah, I _knew_ that there'd be something else.

"Yes?" I ask and Snow sits up straight in his large chair.

"You are seventeen, yes? I'd like to give you the offer to be bought while in the Capitol," President Snow says and my eyes widened, "Excuse me?"

"No," Finnick snaps for me and I nod, "Yeah, no!"

"Understood. However, if you do _not_ agree, there'd be some... _Consequences_, if you will," Snow says and I scowl at the man, "Like what? You'll kill me? Stage an accident?"

"No, Ms. Longshot, I will not have you killed," he pauses a moment as I meet his cold eyes, "I will kill your family."

"He's bluffing," Finnick says after a moment of silence, then repeats, "He's _bluffing_, Penelope."

"Just like I was bluffing about _your_ family, Finnick Odair?" President Snow challenges as my mind flows with thoughts.

Finnick grips the edge of the seat to keep from doing something he'll probably regret later, and I feel a hand rest on my shoulder. I look to my left and see Mags giving me a sad small smile as she shakes her head, silently telling me not to give President Snow what he wants.

I look the President in the eyes while standing up, "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm going to have to reject your offer. Are we done here?"

The President smiled as he stood and gestured to the door, "Yes, we're done here, I'll be seeing you all next year."

* * *

I feel a hand on the small of my back as the three of us walk towards the eating area of the train to District 4, and I tilt my headblue ones. His eyes show concern and something else I can't place, and I stop walking to look at him. It's the emotion I've always seen my father show after my mother died: Sorrow.

"Finnick?" I ask as he stops walking too and turns to me.

He doesn't meet my gaze as he grabs my hands and I intertwine our fingers. Mags walks ahead of us and steps through the door to the eating room, leaving Finnick and I in the compartment before it.

"I hate that man," was all Finnick said and I let go of one of his hands and tilted his head upwards.

Finnick Odair looked utterly broken as his eyes met mine and I rubbed a thumb across his cheek, "Hey, _hey_, it's okay."

"It's not! Penelope, it's _not_ okay, nothing is. That sick man wanted you to agree to prostitution in the Capitol, it's _sick_! He wanted to make you an item, something someone could buy and it's disgusting," Finnick said through gritted teeth, "He wanted to make you like every other Victor, he wanted to make you like me."

I'm taken aback by this, I didn't know that Finnick had to go through something so terrible.

"Finnick, oh God, _Finnick_," I whisper as I pull him into a hug and rub his back as I feel him shudder with silent sobs, "They won't touch you, not again."

"I can't," his voice breaks, "It's what gets sponsors for the tributes, it's what I signed for this year when Snow promised not to hurt anyone else I care about."

I pull away from the hug and wipe a few tears from Finnick's face as he tries to pull himself together, "Finnick, why would you sign up for that? Who else could he possibly hurt? Your family-" he cuts me off.

"You."

"What?" I whisper and Finnick looks down at me as I look up slightly so I can meet his eyes.

"You're the one I don't want him hurting, Penny," he whispered back and I felt blood rise in my cheeks, he couldn't mean that _could_ he? Finnick was amazing beyond words and he'd been there for me since I volunteered for the little girl back home, I knew he'd had deep feelings for me but I always thought he thought of me like a sister. But now, I see a look in his eyes: _Longing_. It's something that seems to connect the dots as a series of memories quickly flow through my mind.

Finnick's face falling as I walked onto the stage during the Reaping, and Finnick staying with me the night before the Games and telling me comforting words while he brushed my hair from my face, Finnick telling me that he'd do everything in his power to bring me home from the Games, Finnick running into my compartment on the train for three nights in a row while on the Victory Tour when I woke from my nightmares screaming until he just ended up staying beside me in my compartment to comfort me when I woke, and finally: The other night when I sat with Ceaser in front of the huge crowd of people from the Capitol and him saying that while he was watching the Games with the rest of the V.I.P people (Victors and extremely rich sponsors) he had never seen Finnick Odair look so worried and stressed as he watched the final showdown between Isaak, Shimmer, and I.

Without another thought, I crash my lips against Finnick's and he eagerly responds as he cups my cheeks and kisses me back. When we break apart, our foreheads leaning against one another, both of us smiling.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now, Odair," I say with a smile and he lets out a breath as I wipe another tear from his cheek away, "Not as long as I have, Penny."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hello all! This is my first Hunger Games fan fic so please be kind? I wanted to throw it out there that I ship Finnick and Annie _a lot _but I watched Catching Fire for the first time last week and I had a lot of feels and so this fan fic was created. Well, I'd appreciate feedback and you'd make my day by leaving a review or following/favoriting this story. Until I post again (which might be until next weekend), goodbye! :3


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2:**** Happy Hunger Games...**

* * *

I wake to someone shaking my shoulders, and I gasp as I bring my right fist up so it collides with someone's jaw.

"Ah, hell, Penelope!" it's Finnick.

"Oops, sorry," I tell him as he rubs his jaw and then he doesn't look at me as he says, "Didn't know you could hit so hard."

"Sorry," I repeat, then frown, "Why'd you wake me? Was I screaming again?"

I'd had the tendency to start crying, talking, and screaming in my sleep.

"No, we're nearly home," he says, still not looking me in the eyes.

"Finnick?" I ask, a sick feeling starts in my stomach, I can tell that he's hiding something from me, "_Why_ did you wake me?"

"Peacekeeper called the train's phone," he tells me, and I feel my heart drop to my stomach as he says, "Your father and brother..."

That's all it took for me to burst into tears, no no no no no.

_No_.

I felt Finnick's strong arms wrap around me and I started to sob into his chest, I cried for my father and brother as he held me tightly, "I know, Penny, I know."

The Capitol had already put me in my own personal hell once, and now they'd gone and done it again.

* * *

When we arrived at District 4, my home District, I felt numb. Very, _very_ numb and tired. The Peacekeepers of our District guide Mags, Finnick, and I to the burial grounds so we can watch my father and brother's remains from the _"Fishing accident"_, as our head Peacekeeper called it, be buried next to other Victor's relatives.

I lean on Finnick's shoulder for support while I bury my face in the crook of his neck while he rubs small circles on my back and Mags has her hand on my shoulder.

"Welcome back to District 4, Penelope. President Snow hopes that you find your new life as a Victor pleasing," our head Peacekeeper, Julius, tells me and I swallow the lump in my throat as I meet his eyes and nod. I look back as the last of my family's remains are buried and I feel tears well in my eyes.

"Shhh, you're okay," I hear Finnick whisper beside me as he pulls me into a hug and I grasp the fabric of his sweater tightly while I let out a few sobs before silently crying.

* * *

_**(5 YEARS LATER)**_

I sit beside Finnick in his compartment on the train ride to the Capitol, it's my fourth time being a mentor and it isn't getting any easier. We've only had one other Victor, a girl named Annie Cresta who's gone off the tracks into crazy town. She's gone crazy from seeing her District partner beheaded. Every other child that's gone into the Games have died terrible deaths and Finnick and I were always the ones who had to tell the families. It makes me sick to my stomach.

"It'll be okay," Finnick muttered from beside me as his thumb brushed my bangs from my face, I close my eyes and sink into his touch, "We both know that's a lie, Fin."

"I know," Finnick sighs as he wraps his arms around my smaller form, and I rest my head on his chest, "I hate this place."

"We'll be home soon, the Games will go just as quickly as they do every year," he says and I frown, "It's disgusting."

"Yeah," Finnick agrees, and we lay in silence as we both start to drift off to sleep. Soon enough, my eyes are closing and the only noise I hear are Finnick's heartbeat and our breathing.

* * *

"You have to have _someone_ you love," President Snow taunts as he paces in front of me and I swallow the lump in my throat, "The only people I've ever loved are _deceased_."

We're standing in President Snow's mansion, and at the moment, he's interrogating me. Just like he's been doing. For _five_ freaking _years_. I'd only been in the Capitol all but one day and he'd already cornered me.

"Come now, Penelope, you're twenty-three years old, you should know the right decision by now," I roll my eyes at his statement and he frowns, "There must be _someone_ that you love that can help... _persuade_ you to accept my offer," the President says and I clench my jaw as I sit on the white futon, "No, there's not. Like I said, they're all _dead_."

"Yes, but not even dear old Mags or maybe Mr. Finnick Odair could help?" He asked and I bit back a glare, he can't know how close I am with either of them. Especially my lover, Finnick. If Snow knew about us, he'd have one of us dead by morning. Most likely me, I've got no use for the Capitol.

"No," I tell the evil man, "I'm only close with them because I have to be, if it were up to me I wouldn't talk to them. They annoy me, I don't love them," I lie with a frown, the President nods, obviously believing me, "Understood, now, are you sure that you won't accept my offer? _Again_?"

"_Positive_," I pronounce every syllable as I stand, "May I leave now?"

"Yes, you may leave, and good luck with your tributes!" he says as I make my way towards the mansion's grand doors.

"Happy Hunger Games," I say in mock happiness, using my best Capitol voice.

* * *

I sit alone at the small café area at the training center as we all wait for our tributes to finish with getting their scores, other Victors sit and stand, gossiping and making small talk. I catch Finnick's eye from where he stands beside the male Victor from 6, I can't remember his name though, and as soon as the Victor from 4 sees me, he gives me a small smile, silently telling me that he's sorry for not being able to speak to me alone here in public.

"Hey, 4," a female voice says and I turn my head to see that Johanna Mason, a Victor who has an axe fetish, was now sitting across from me with a small smile. We've never really spoken, at least not on a friendly level, we'd exchanged a few... _colorful_ words with one another when Johanna near attacked me when I first started to Mentor. She'd started screaming at me while she pushed me into a glass wall, yelling something along the lines of _'You idiot! You stupid **idiot! **Why would you do that to him?!'_ At first I thought she was talking about the Tribute from her District, but then I remembered that I hadn't killed the boy.

"Um, hi, Johanna," I said, uneasy with how friendly she was being.

"I, uh, I wanted to apologize for my little outburst a few years back," she told me, then lowered her voice as she leaned forward, "I thought you were just trying to slut him up and that you'd give him up to President Psycho to be killed, but I see the way you look at him, you really do love him."

My eyes widened slightly and I looked at the woman in front of me, "I, um, I don't, uh -"

"I won't tell anyone, your secret's safe with me," she promised, and glanced at where Finnick stood, "I care about him too, he's like an annoying little brother, I'm not gonna get him killed. And I guess since he's kept you, I'll try to be friends with you too."

"Thanks, Johanna," I tell her sincerely, "I'd like to be friends too. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm still the outsider here."

Johanna looked around us and nodded before looking back at me and giving me a crooked grin, "They're a bunch of tools anyway."

I let out a laugh at that and Johanna joined along before frowning slightly, "By the way, heard about your family, sorry."

I tense up and meet the girl's eyes, "You too."

I'd heard of Johanna's past, Finnick told me about how her whole family was murdered by President Snow too, and that she'd been reckless and rebellious ever since. Always claiming that the Capitol and the President couldn't hurt her anymore. That there was no one else that she loved left.

Johanna shrugged, "Just makes it a hell of a lot easier to hate this damn place."

I nodded, "Between that and the fact that twenty-four kids have to die each year."

Johanna simply nodded and before she spoke again, a large hand landed on my shoulder, and I jumped in surprise before the owner of the hand came into view: Finnick.

I sighed, "Don't sneak up on me, Odair."

He let out a chuckle before pulling up a chair to at the small table, "Apologies, Longshot."

"So, no fights this year?" Finnick asked us and we shook our heads, "Nope."

"Good, 'cause I think we've got bigger problems," he muttered and we looked at him with a frown, "What?"

"Apparently 12 scored some pretty high scores," Finnick said and my eyes widened as my eyebrows shot up to my hairline, "What? _12_?"

"Yeah, and tons of sponsors are going for the girl," he told us and I sighed, "So what do we do?"

"We've got to find some sponsors," he sighed and we both know what he was referring to: The fact that he'd have to sell himself for sponsors.

My jaw clenched as my light eyes met his dark hues, he knew how much I was against it. I didn't think any lower of him, but the fact that he was forced to do it pisses me off, _especially_ because it meant that Snow was winning his sick game. We stared at one another for another moment before he sighed and looked at his hands they were resting on the table, "It's what we have to do."

I clench then unclench my jaw again, "I suppose."

"Well, 4, as fun as this all was, I've got to get training the little hell raisers," Johanna said as she stood and gave us both mock salutes, "See ya around, dweebs."

"Bye, Johanna," I smile as I return the gesture then turn to Finnick, "You really think our tributes have a chance?"

"I don't know," he sighed, meeting my eyes again, "The girl from 12's worrying me."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello! Thank you _soooo_ much for your awesome feedback, I'm really excited for this story, and again, I'm sorry that this update took so long! I have two other fan fictions that I'm working on and I have to take my time with each, so sorry! I hope you don't mind that I added a 5 year time shift, but there's a reason for my madness, I promise you! I'll update again ASAP! Bye! :3**


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